Subaru celebrates March success

Distributor reckons it could have hit an even sales count had more stock been available.

Forester X (above) and new Outback were major contributors to Subaru’s March count.

PERFECT storm conditions – that’s what Subaru New Zealand attests led last month delivering a best-yet sales count for the brand.

A count of 461 new vehicle sales represents a 20 percent gain over the previous top sales month, January of 2019.

Subaru New Zealand managing director Wallis Dumper says the March result would not have been possible without the dealer network’s hard work. Many Subaru Centres were owner-operator businesses, some with the brand for more than 25 years.

“It’s been a challenging 12 months … and to see a result like this, only 12 months after the grim picture economists painted for our future, is extremely rewarding,” Dumper says.

The distributor attributes several factors contributing to the record March sales, including the recent release of a new Forester derivative, the X Sport.  This variant has immediately accounted for a third of Forester’s sales and also helped to produce a record sales month for Forester.

On top of this, last month’s count also included the brand-new Outback, which officially launched at the start of the month and recorded more 200 registrations. Dumper says the performance was a tribute to the car’s quality, and the impact of the marketing campaign.

Also impacting on the count was the arrival of several delayed shipments of allocated stock.

Everything, he said,  “added up to the much-needed perfect storm.”

Nonetheless, Subaru continues to feel the effect of supply constraints and he imagines that will continue to be the case, despite the his operation having been given huge support by Subaru Japan.

 We have customers waiting as some of our Subaru dealers are out of stock and we already have factory back orders through to the third quarter.

“We have been in the unfortunate situation of not being able to supply some of our new 2021 models, including the Subaru XV, which would have also set a sales record if we had been able to secure allocation.

“Unprecedented demand beyond what we are able to supply is a good problem to have, but we like to think that our customers understand the situation and are willing to be patient.”

“The reality is that we are probably missing sales and as a company, we are doing our best to mitigate this.”

Dumper acknowledges that other automotive manufacturers have also had record-breaking months.

“After the year we have had, this is a phenomenal boost for the automotive industry.  While we are yet to receive the final results for the monthly industry performance, March is expected to be an exceptional month across the board. Congratulations to all the automotive brands that have had an outstanding month and long may it last,” he says.

A limited-edition STI model will arrive at New Zealand dealerships in the coming months. Hot on the heels of this final STI edition, will be the arrival of the completely revamped 2022 WRX in the new year.

Supply chain challenges will have the biggest potential impact on specific dates for these model launches and they will be confirmed later in the year says Subaru New Zealand.

Grunty turbo four assigned to NZ Outback

 Promoted as a good replacement for the now defunct 3.6-litre six cylinder in the old model, the new engine is expected to arrive late next year.

 A PERFORMANCE four-cylinder engine with six-pot-equalling kapow and a more rugged off-road specification will deliver to the new Subaru Outback, launching in New Zealand tomorrow.

At an event for the new car in Queenstown, Subaru New Zealand managing Wallis Dumper said a highly-celebrated 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine that presently only avails to the model in North America is NZ-bound, potentially before the end of next year.

It seems possible this engine will place into several derivatives, one with a Wilderness specification that is also set to hit the US soon and is designed to give the car even greater off-road robustness. Wilderness is intended to be a sub-brand - so, ultimately, there will likely be a Forester Wilderness as well, also fitting out with a lifted suspension, knobby tires, black six-spoke wheels, and a rougher appearance, including a reprofile front bumper and beefier side protection.

As things stand, the sixth generation Outback is here in three specification levels – Outback, Outback X and Touring – that respectively price at $49,990, $54,990 and $57,990.

 All run an updated version of the previous car’s mainstay 2.5-litre.

This normally aspirated, direct injection flat four unit generates 135kW and 245Nm – so, 6kW and 10Nm more than the outgoing engine. Optimal fuel economy is slightly improved, with 7.3 litres per 100km claimed.

That the new range does not continue with the 3.6-litre six-cylinder engine that ran in a $59,990 flagship appears to be of concern to  Subaru NZ.

 The H6 was popular with a sector who enjoyed its extra oomph for towing. At peak popularity, it achieved 25 percent of volume, though that desire cooled to an 18 percent take-up toward the end. 

Dumper is certain the 2.4-litre, which outputs, in US market format, 193kW and 360Nm would placate Outback fans who had supported the 3.6-litre, which delivered 191kW/350Nm.

All the new Outbacks cost more than their predecessors. In the outgoing line, the entry 2.5-litre car cost $47,490, the medium spec was $49,990 and the 2.5-litre Premium cost $52,490.

Even though the new car looks a lot like the one it replaces, it is by and large a fresh start. Dumper says it is a step up for sophistication; the biggest, safest, most technologically advanced and luxurious Outback ever.

 Subaru NZ is also driving interest with an intriguing customer support offer; the warranty cover will double to six years for any owner who also selects a servicing plan that costs $999.

There is no mystery about the MY21’s look and details as it has been on sale in North America for more than 12 months, with the world getting its first look when it was revealed at the 2019 Detroit motor show.

The NZ market look achieves a different grille to the US models and the wheel arch surround design is altered as well.

Outback has been available in NZ for 25 years and the recipe remains highly familiar: A high-riding wagon with a constantly variable transmission always full-time all-wheel-drive. 

The body is slightly larger and roomier and bases on the Subaru Global Platform (SGP) that debuted with the latest Impreza some years ago.

The MY21 car has an uprated towing capacity of 2000kg – an increase of 25 percent over the current model.

Subaru New Zealand has tailored an advertising campaign that centres on it being a GOOAT – a play on ‘greatest of all time’ altered to stand for ‘greatest Outback of all time.’

The outgoing Outback contributed about 35 percent of SNZ’s volume but Dumper reckons this one can bring it back to when the model delivered 50 percent of the brand’s volume here. 

However, he concedes Subaru will be constrained, because of Covid-19 and also a worldwide shortage of computer microchips, in how many cars it can built.

Dumper says he has been allocated 3500 cars for this year, of which around half will be new Outbacks, yet he is concerned if the model takes off demand could outstrip ability to supply immediately. So, he will work to achieve extra cars if he can.

The new car delivers a 11.6-inch infotainment touchscreen and the latest generation of the company's 'EyeSight' driver assist system, including a driver awareness monitoring system using facial recognition software that arrived with the Forester.

Lane centring, autonomous emergency steering, emergency lane keep assist, speed sign recognition with intelligent speed limiter, lane departure warning with steering wheel vibration and lane departure prevention are fitted, but the full-strength kit is restricted to the Touring.

Other available technologies include forward and reverse autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree camera.

The model adopts as standard the updated X-Mode selectable terrain response system that has been an ingredient of the current Outback X and also first showed in the current Forester.

This combines driver-selectable drive modes for terrain and weather management with differential locks and hill descent control to simplify and improve capability on non-optimal driving surfaces.

Wilderness edition Outback, Forester raise NZ interest

Could Subaru be going to even greater extremes than the Outback X?

US website Autoblog has published images of what it believes is an impending extra-toughened ‘Wilderness’ edition of the new Subaru Outback (below), launching here next month. Subaru NZ has expressed interest.

UPGRADED X ingredients implemented into the new Outback releasing next month to improve its off-road ability could yet be a halfway spot – with news of Subaru now developing extra-rugged Wilderness version of this model and the Forester. 

The brand’s New Zealand distributor is treading warily in fuelling talk about the models’ potential for production.

However, local brand boss Wallis Dumper has offered that, were such variants to become available, he’d been keen to have ‘em.

Outback and Forester’s good reputation for muck resistance has been core to them developing strong followings from adventure-minded customers, he reminds.

Any additional elements that can build on that have to be worth considering.

“ … if these US predictions are real, then yes,” he said when asked if he had any interest in accepting variants with conceivably even more off-road ability than the present products provide. 

“An even more rugged Outback or Forester would certainly capture this (NZ) buyer group’s attention.”

Publication yesterday by US website Autoblog showing what it says is the enhanced Outback edition caught during road trials leave little doubt that something is up. Quite literally.

Additionally-elevated ride height appears to be one of the giveaways for the Wilderness editions, notwithstanding that the regular model is already quite lofty.

Autoblog also noted styling changes to the model’s front, with a front bumper reprofiled to improve the approach angle. The car also appears to have a bone fide heavy duty skid plate and is on tyres with more aggressive tread cuts than the usual Bridgestone Duelers.

Despite the camouflage, some particularly aggressive wheel arches seem evident.

The rear bumper looks a bit more tucked in, similar to the front bumper, probably both for looks and a slightly better departure angle.

 There’s an apparent restyling effort at the front, with a single centre grille opening, wich has a large open mesh, with chunky round LED fog lights on either side; these contributing to a more aggressive look. Another interesting addition to the front is a matte black stripe on the bonnet, suggesting the Outback Wilderness may get some unique graphics, the site suggests.

Autoblog believes the Outback Wilderness and a Forester counterpart will be production around April, with sales starting in North America by the third quarter of this year.

What could that conceivably mean for us?

Dumper says it’s important to remember that NZ-market Subarus come from Japan; whereas a plant in North America supplies the US and Canada. And, of course, those are left-hand drive models. 

“We would be in boots and all if we can get them for our market out of Japan.

“They could be the perfect follow on to the 2021 Outback launch we have planned for February.”

The new model line implements an updated X-Mode selectable terrain response system that provisioned in the current Outback X, a new edition that arrived just last year to pep up interest as the current car entered its final production phase.

The improved X-mode combines driver-selectable drive modes for terrain and weather management with differential locks and hill descent control to simplify and improve capability on non-optimal driving surfaces.

Forester has had this system since launch.

The new Outback is larger than the 2020 car and carries more drive assist tech. It has been on sale Stateside for more than 12 months, with the world getting its first look when it was revealed at the 2019 Detroit motor show. North America achieving a head start has long been a Subaru practice and reflects that the US and Canada are by far the brand’s most important and highest volume markets.

The recipe is highly familiar: A high-riding wagon powered by a flat-four petrol engine, married to a constantly variable transmission and always driving all four wheels, with styling that is very derivative of the outgoing car’s look, though the body is slightly larger and roomier and the car bases on a new underpinning, the Subaru Global Platform (SGP) that debuted with the latest Impreza.

Subaru NZ is calling it “the biggest, safest, most luxurious and technologically advanced Outback ever.”

Get more, pay more with MY21 Outback

Subaru NZ’s announcement of local spec and prices confirms the performance engine availed in its biggest market is a no-go here.

AN enhanced specification arriving with the next, sixth generation of Subaru’s national sales staple, the Outback, appears to have impacted on the car’s pricing, especially at flagship level. 

With the 3.6-litre six-cylinder engine having been retired, and the new performance powerplant that goes into the car in North America - a feisty 2.0-litre turbo petrol outputting, in US market format, 193kW and 360Nm - having failed to make the right-hand-drive conversion, the focus at least for now falls wholly on one engine, a 2.5-litre normally aspirated, direct injection flat four that has a touch more power and torque than its outgoing equivalent.

This powerplant avails in three levels of specification, though model naming conventions have changed for two of those cars.

The entry consideration that was previously called the Sport is now simply the Outback, while at the top of the line comes a Touring, whose equivalent in the outgoing family was the Premium.

Between those is an Outback X, that derivative only arriving in the current shape last year. 

The new versions price respectively at $49,990, $54,990 and $57,490.

In the outgoing line, the entry 2.5-litre car cost $47,490, the medium spec was $49,990 and the 2.5-litre Premium cost $52,490. The most expensive model in the outgoing line was the 3.6-litre Premium, a $59,990 car.

Although Subaru NZ has announced prices and specification details today, it will not have the new car on sale until mid-February.

There is no mystery about the MY21’s look and details as it has been on sale Stateside for more than 12 months, with the world getting its first look when it was revealed at the 2019 Detroit motor show.

The recipe is highly familiar: A high-riding wagon with a constantly variable transmission always full-time all-wheel-drive, with styling that is very derivative of the outgoing car’s look, though the body is slightly larger and roomier and the car bases on a new underpinning, the Subaru Global Platform (SGP) that debuted with the latest Impreza. 

In developing 135kW of power and 245Nm of torque, the new engine makes 6kW and 10Nm more than the outgoing engine, yet Subaru says this belies that it is a 90 percent new unit.

 The MY21 car has an uprated towing capacity of 2000kg – an increase of 25 percent over the current model.

Subaru New Zealand’s managing director, Wallis Dumper, has used today’s announcement to again reinforce that the new car is a step up for sophistication; to the point where it will be marketed as ‘the greatest Outback of all time.’

 “Subaru has made a conscious decision to take the Outback considerably upmarket, confirming its status as the flagship in the Subaru range. It’s certainly the biggest, safest, most technologically advanced and luxurious Outback ever.

“The aggressive, rugged design, along with the suite of luxury features, technology, infotainment and safety inherent in every Outback will only add to its rock-solid reputation for value and whole-of-life costs,” he says.

The new car delivers a 11.6-inch infotainment touchscreen and the latest generation of the company's 'EyeSight' driver assist system, including a driver awareness monitoring system using facial recognition software that arrived with the Forester.  

Lane centring, autonomous emergency steering, emergency lane keep assist, speed sign recognition with intelligent speed limiter, lane departure warning with steering wheel vibration and lane departure prevention are standard.

Other available technologies include forward and reverse autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree camera. 

The model adopts as standard the updated X-Mode selectable terrain response system that has been an ingredient of the current Outback X and also first showed in the current Forester.

This combines driver-selectable drive modes for terrain and weather management with differential locks and hill descent control to simplify and improve capability on non-optimal driving surfaces.

Subaru NZ limbers up for next Outback

New platform, new equipment – probably not the new turbo engine.

CHRISTMAS is coming in late February for Subaru, this being when it will launch the next generation of a sales stalwart, the Outback.

An announcement today about the car’s release timing doesn’t spoil any element of surprise in respect to the kind of car we’re getting.

Subaru’s habit of releasing this model in North America well ahead of other markets continued with the sixth-generation line.  

The latest high-riding station wagon has been on sale Stateside for more than 12 months, with the world getting its first look when it was revealed at the 2019 Detroit motor show.

The recipe is highly familiar: A high-riding wagon powered by a flat-four petrol engine, married to a constantly variable transmission and always driving all four wheels, with styling that is very derivative of the outgoing car’s look, though the body is slightly larger and roomier and the car bases on a new underpinning, the Subaru Global Platform (SGP) that debuted with the latest Impreza.

Subaru NZ’s managing director Wallis Dumper says the car has benefitted from continuous innovation, “which has resulted in the biggest, safest, most luxurious and technologically advanced Outback ever.”

“It’s safe to say this new generation Outback has undergone a serious transformation. Our rugged All-Wheel Drive adventurer is already our most popular Subaru and we are excited to unlock further potential in this completely new Outback.”

The big question is respect to the technology will be in respect to what’s under the bonnet.

What’s still to be clarified is whether there’s potential for our line-up to include the turbo petrol engine offered in North America as an alternate to the 2.5-litre naturally-aspirated petrol four-cylinder that carries over for another term, but with refinements.

Chances are … no. The car’s other significant right-hand-drive market, Australia, has confirmed today that all its variants will be powered by the naturally-aspirated unit.

Outputs likely to mirror those of the North American-market, 2.5-litre Outback, which develops 135kW of power and 238Nm of torque, so 6kW and 3Nm more than the current engine provisions. The turbo, meantime, is a 193kW/360Nm offer.

The car has an uprated towing capacity of 2000kg – an increase of 25 percent over the current model – and also delivers a 11.6-inch infotainment touchscreen, alongside nappa leather-accented seat trim. 

Safety and technology is almost expected to be a feature of the new model, including the latest generation of the company's 'EyeSight' driver assist system, and the driver monitoring system as per the Forester. 

Other available technologies are expected to include forward and reverse autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist and a 360-degree camera.

The model adopts as standard the updated X-Mode selectable terrain response system that has featured in the current Outback X. This combines driver-selectable drive modes for terrain and weather management with differential locks and hill descent control to simplify and improve capability on non-optimal driving surfaces.

Goodbye Legacy – a past great’s run is ending

A Subaru staple since 1989 departs from the showroom in a matter of months and there’s no talk of a direct replacement.

ONCE the brand’s breadwinner, long an icon but latterly able to pick up just a few crumbs … the car that once drove Subaru’s fortunes in the showroom and in sport has been axed.

Subaru New Zealand has announced it is losing the Legacy, it’s longest-lived nameplate, with last orders effectively being taken from now on, though supply will not exhaust until early next year.

The medium-sized model, which has represented as a sedan since day one but also sold as a wagon until several years ago when pulled in favour of the Levorg, has put in more than 30 years service.

At its height, it was Subaru NZ’s top seller and even managed to be the country’s most popular sedan in respect to sales volume – though that claim relied on recognition of its high popularity as a used import.

However, those glory days were long ago – as the swing toward sports utilities and crossovers intensified, the Legacy has slowly but steadily fallen back into a supporting role, and by the end was barely earning its keep.

Ironically, the car within the Subaru family that has most eroded Legacy’s stature is one that started out as as derivative – that, of course, is the Outback, still easily recognised as being effectively a Legacy wagon on stilts as it shares a common platform, the same engines and styling direction 

While Subaru here has acknowledged that last year was lean – with just 64 registrations coming Legacy’s way  – it has failed to mention in a release confirming the car’s demise that this year is shaping to way worse.

According to registrations data accrued by Government, just two examples have found homes since January 1.

The Levorg wagon, spun off the Impreza family but with WRX genes as well, that was supposed to fill the Legacy wagon’s shoe has done little better; today Subaru basically sells entirely on its SUV strength: Forester is strongest, then Outback then XV.

It is possible Subaru NZ did not make this call about the timing of the car’s demise directly; it’s probable, in fact, that our neighbour having made the same call last week effectively killed the car in our market.

However, it was going to disappear by 2022 anyway, as Subaru Japan intended to end production of the current generation car next year. It has not indicated if a replacement model is likely.

Australia has had better sales with its model, called the Liberty (because Legacy is the name of its returned serves’ association) but still decided it was too marginal to continue with.

In supplied comment, Subaru NZ boss Wallis Dumper has indicated a model line Kiwis have known since 1989 is set for a fond farewell.

He reminded that the car landed with a big job to undertake - replacing the old but much-loved Leone.

New Zealanders were quick to embrace the Legacy however, and its popularity soared, especially as a used import in the 1990s, Dumper said.

That created an intriguing situation: “Whilst the Toyota Corolla was top of the new car sales overall, Legacy was New Zealand’s number one selling used vehicle thanks to the massive imports ratio.”

For the Auckland-based distributor, that used import swing was not a threat but an opportunity.

“We knew people loved the brand and the car,” Dumper said.

“Legacy developed a bulletproof reputation, so it was a natural progression to guide customers from a used Legacy to a new Subaru, as time went on.”

Legacy’s fame ignited with Scottish driving legend Colin McRae at the wheel when he scored the Subaru team’s first-ever World Rally Championship round win here at the Rally of New Zealand in 1993.

“Whilst most Kiwis probably associate Subaru’s historic WRX model as being synonymous with winning rally championships, the reality is that Colin’s success in the Legacy then inspired Subaru to enter the WRX and become world champions three-times over in 1995, 2001, and 2003,” Mr Dumper says.

New Zealanders also did their bit to elevate the model’s ststus through rallying success.

“Legacy also starred on a national level in the New Zealand Rally Championship, with legends like the late Possum Bourne and multiple championship winner Joe McAndrew scoring their victories in this Subaru model,” Mr Dumper adds.

Legacy wasn’t just a success on gravel, and it has racked up a long list of awards, though it evaded the top prize – the national car of the year award, as determined by the New Zealand Motoring Writers’ Guild annually since 1989. Subaru finally got its name on that board with the latest Forester.

However, the various magazine prized it did achieve were enough to distinguished Legacy from the medium market pack, Sumper says.

Nonetheless, even though the car stood out because of its all-wheel-drive, it could not stave off the SUV trend. That 64 sold new here last year, compared to Outback’s sales of 1322 in the same period, said so much.

Over the generations, around 4000 New Zealand-new Legacys have been sold to Kiwi drivers.

Mr Dumper says: “No one can take away the credibility Legacy built for itself. Stable and sure-footed on the worst back country roads that New Zealand could throw at it and safe and reassuring on the wettest, slipperiest city intersection - Legacy has created its own legacy.”

“Subaru’s ‘Confidence in Motion’ catch phrase arose primarily from everyday Legacy drivers’ feedback to Japan’s engineers when they visited New Zealand in the early 2000s to learn why the brand was so readily accepted in Aotearoa.”

Dumper is hoping customers who still prefer a sedan will consider the current Impreza or even the WRX – though that car is but a short-term option, as it is also for the chop next year.

Meantime, a new Outback is also coming in 2021.